Piano-action



(No Mod'el.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. W. COOPER.

PIANO ACTION.

Patented Aug. 24, 1886.

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PIANO ACTION.

No. 348, Patented Aug. 24, 1886.

N. PETERS. Fholo-Lnhugraphcr. waimn mn. ac.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN \V. COOPER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PIANO-ACTION.

EiPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 348,111, dated August 24,1886.

Application filed January 7, 1886. Serial No. 187,910. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN \V. COOPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Immovements in Piano-Actions; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to piano-actions, and particularly to that class known as upright actions, in which a movable rail and suitable connections are employed for moving it for varying the distance between the ham- -mers and strings, to govern the length of the stroke of the hammers and their consesequent force of blow on the strings. The object in view is to regulate the tone and volume of sound at pleasn re without varying the touch.

With these ends in view and such others as may appertain to my invention, it consists in combining with the key-operated jacks weights to compensate for the varying positions of the hammers for preserving a uniform and even touch; in the combination with the adjustable hammer-supporting rail a weight-supporting arm simultaneously adjusted therewith to project the weight within or without the path of the jack. It also consists in novel features and details of construction and combinations of parts, which will be more fully hereinafter set forth and particularly claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a piano action constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view, partly in section and in a different position. Fig. 3 is a side view with slight variations in details of construction.

The supporting-frame A A for the upright action is of ordinary construction. The hammer 13 is pivoted to the upper edge of the support A, and is limited in its backward movement by the rail C. The hammer-butt has a rear projection, I), which impinges against the check 1), and a bridle, c, connects the butt with an arm, E, extending from the tiltinglever F, supporting the spring-actuated jack G. The tilting-lever is operated by the key H and suitable interposed connections.

The rail C is supported 011a lever, c, by which it may be adjusted to regulate the position of the hammer, as will more fully hereinafter appear. The end 0 of the lever projected beyond the fulcrum is connected with the pedal-operatedrod I. The backward movement of the lever c is limited by the step d, and its forward movement by the stop (1. The pedal-operated rod may be continuous, as shown in Fig. 3, or made in section, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which latter case the lower end of the upper section contacts with the step d.

The jack G has a shoulder, g, and a rear extension, g, tocontact with an adjustable stop carried on the end of a set-screw, j, passing through an arm,J, projected from the frame A.

Inthe operation of the action, when the lever a is resting on the stop (2, which is its normal position, the hammer has its greatest throw, eonsequen tl y it strikes with great force. In its normal position the end of the jack is close to the butt, as most clearly shown in Fi 1. Vhen it is desired to moderate the tone and diminish the force of the blow, the hammer is adjusted nearer to the strings by actuating the pedal-rod, which causes the lever c to advance the rail nearer the strings. This adjustment increases the distance between the butt and the end of the jacl: and decreases the throw of the hammer. On operating a key, owing to the distance between the hammer-butt and the end of the jack, it would be found that the touch would vary. To overcome this objection and maintain a uniform and even touch,awcight is so constructed and combined with the action that it is in contact with the jack while the latter is traversing the distance between its end and the hammerbutt,to compensate for the weight of the hammer,and becomes disengaged from the jack the moment the latter touches the butt to throw the hammer. The weight may be applied in numerous ways, but for the sake of simplifying matters only two are shown.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the frame A is grooved di rectly opposite to and on that side adjacent thejack. Aweight, K, is seated in this groove a, and is provided with alip, 7., which projects an opening, f, in the tilting-lever, is adapted to have its lower end engaged by an adjustable stop, m, projected upward from an arm connected with the lever c by the rod I. WVhen the hammer is in its normal position, the stop m is at its highest position, and, contacting with the rod 70, lifts the weight sufliciently high to carry the lip 70 out of the path of the ,shoulder of the jack, as shown in Fig. 1. The hammer being adjusted nearer the strings by the shifting of the rail 0, the stop an is correspondingly lowered, and the lip of the weight falls within thepath of the shoulders g of the jack, which latter, when operated, elevates the weight, and the moment the end of the jack strikes the butt of the hammer the extension strikes the stop j and disengages the jack from the weight, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. I

Instead of the groove a, projections a may 2 5 be extended from the frame A and the rod It passed loosely therethrough. The upper end of this rod is extended to form a head to contact with the shoulder of the jack, and its lower end is provided with the weight K, which 0 normally rests 011 an arm, n, of a rod, N.

The upper end of the rod N is slotted, and a pin, a, projected laterally from the lever 0, extends into the slot. By this means an adjustment of the arm n is effected simultaneously with the adjustment of the lever c, and

the head k of the weight supporting rod thrown into or out of the path of the jack. Instead of the adjusting-stop m, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the lower end of the rod may be threaded and screwed into the weight.

While only one lever, c, is shown, it is mani fest that two or more may be employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. The combination of the hammers, adj ustable rail, and operating-jack, of a weight to contact with the jack duringa part of its movement, substantially as described, whereby a nearly uniform touch is preserved during the whole operation of the key.

2. The combination of the hammer, an adjustable rail, a weight, a jack, a weight-support, and a rod connecting the rail and support, whereby both may be simultaneous] y adjusted and the weight projected into or out of the path of the jack, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of the hammer, adjustable rail, operating-jack, a weight contacting with the same during a part of its movement, and a stop to disengage the weight and jack the moment the latter contacts with the butt of the hammer, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN IV. COOPER.

IVitnesscs:

WM. H. MILLER, O. G. SHEDD. 

